Roxanna Elden's Blog, page 3
February 23, 2023
What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Grading
The best grading is specific, constructive, and back in students’ hands in a timely fashion. Most teachers agree with this. Research shows this. And, let’s be honest, you knew it anyway. So why haven’t you finished grading that pile on your desk? And why is grading the part of the job most likely to cover... Read more »
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January 24, 2023
Quiz: Are You a Terrible Teacher or Do You Just Need a Nap?
Give yourself one point for every “yes” answer. 1. When you read the scoring directions, was your first reaction, “Ugh. Does a terrible teacher like me even deserve points?” 2. Wait—there were directions? How did you miss those? Where are they? Oh, okay. You’re reading them now. Back to the first question… wait—there were directions?... Read more »
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January 17, 2023
The “Aha-Moment Cycle” in Teaching
One day, as a relatively new teacher, I finally figured everything out. Cue clouds parting. Cue beam of light shining down upon me. Etc. What did I figure out on this “day when I figured everything out?” It doesn’t matter. It was mostly wrong anyway. It also wasn’t the last time I thought I’d finally... Read more »
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January 9, 2023
Embracing the Rookie Mistake
There are two stories from my first year of teaching that I often share when speaking to beginners. They’re not inspirational. Nor are they the type of embarrassing-but-ultimately harmless mistakes that were “really just learning experiences.” In one story, I shut down a student’s motivation for weeks. In the other, I set up a diligent... Read more »
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December 18, 2022
How “The Science of Shopping” Applies to Your Classroom
A few years into my teaching career, a friend who managed a grocery store recommended a book called Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping. The premise of the book caught my attention; it hadn’t occurred to me that the layout of stores might be purposely set up—often with the help of high-priced consulting companies—to... Read more »
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November 18, 2022
Finally Sitting Down to do “The Thing”
This week, after months of procrastination, I finally sat down to do The Thing. Why did it take me so long? The same reason it’s taking you so long to do your version of The Thing: The Thing will save you time and complications in the long run, but it requires an up-front investment of... Read more »
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October 17, 2022
Why Ideas You “Beg, Borrow, and Steal” from Other Teachers May Not Work in Your Classroom
You’ve likely heard someone say that teachers should “beg, borrow, and steal.” Another variation is that “teachers are the worst thieves.” (These suggestions are sometimes accompanied by a little laugh—maybe because teachers are presumed to be natural rule followers? Lots to unpack there, but that’s for another day.) As with a lot of teaching advice,... Read more »
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Beg, borrow, steal. . . and then adapt.
Undoubtedly you’ve heard the classic teacher advice, “Beg, borrow, and steal.” A better phrase would be, “Beg, borrow, steal…and then adapt.” This is especially true with classroom procedures. Other teachers can share the basic principles behind their routines, but rarely can they pass on details developed over years of trial and error. If another teacher’s... Read more »
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October 14, 2022
October is “How Much it Sucks to be a New Teacher” Awareness Month
If you signed up for the Disillusionment Power Pack during your first year of teaching, you already know what season it is. The Disillusionment Phase, a term first coined by Ellen Moir as part of the Phases of First-Year Teaching, describes the drop in morale that first-year teachers experience between mid-October and Thanksgiving. This is the time frame in... Read more »
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October 12, 2022
Using Alcohol to Get to Sleep is Not Great for Your Teaching (Or Your Sleep)
“The reason you’re waking up in the middle of the night is the second glass of wine.” -Nora Ephron, in the essay What I Wish I’d Known from the book I Feel Bad About My Neck. There are lots of jokes about how seemingly-wholesome activities, like teaching and parenting, can drive people to drink. Bring... Read more »
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